Car-school Bus Collision Hurts 19 Kids, 2 Drivers

COCOA — Nineteen schoolchildren, a school-bus driver and the driver of a car that collided with the bus were treated at Wuesthoff Hospital Friday after an accident on U.S. Highway 1.

School officials said the bus was going to Clearlake Middle School and had just turned onto Michigan Avenue when the accident occurred about 8:15 a.m.

Merry Lynn Starling, Wuesthoff spokeswoman, said six ambulances brought the children and two drivers to the Rockledge hospital. Most of the minor injuries were confined to sprains and soreness, but the driver of the car, Edward James Weikie, also was treated for cuts.

The children were treated and then allowed to go home for the day, school officials said. Damage to the bus was minimal, they said.

''Our emergency-room personnel were able to handle the crowd smoothly, but with all of the ambulances coming in it was quite a sight,'' Starling said.